Q. Do you think it is more important for the Government to return the budget to surplus as soon as possible – which may mean cutting services and raising taxes – OR should they delay the return to surplus and maintain services and invest in infrastructure?

Total

Vote Labor

Vote Lib/Nat

Vote Greens

Vote other

Return to surplus as soon as possible, cut services, raise taxes

18%

12%

28%

7%

16%

Delay return to surplus, maintain services, invest in infrastructure

65%

75%

59%

81%

67%

Don’t know

18%

13%

12%

12%

17%

65% thought it was more important to delay a return to surplus, maintain services and invest in infrastructure. Those most likely to think this were Greens voters (81%) and ALP voters (75%).

18% it was more important to return to surplus as soon as possible. Those most likely to sat think were Liberal/National voters (28%), those aged 65+ (22%) and those earning over $104,000 (22%).

The most common major spending items over the last 12 months were holidays in Australia (46%), purchase of major household item (40%) and overseas holidays (34%). Spending results were similar to those recorded last May.

Spending rate of those who consider their financial situation unsatisfactory was about half that of those who were satisfied for most items. Whereas taking an Australian holidays was the most common item of major spending for those satisfied (56%) and the neither group (39%), those who were dissatisfied were more likely to have purchased a major household item (30%).

Q. How much of your Christmas spending will you put on your credit cards?

5 Dec 11

3 Dec 12

All or most of it

23%

26%

A bit more than half

7%

8%

About half

9%

7%

A bit less than half

5%

5%

Not much

17%

10%

None of it

37%

36%

Won’t be buying Christmas gifts

na

4%

Don’t know

3%

4%

41% say they will put at least half their Christmas spending on credit cards – and a further 15% will put some spending on their credit cards.

Those most likely to use credit cards for at least half their spending were aged 35-44 (54%) and those least likely were aged 18-24 (18%). Those on higher incomes were much more likely to use their credit cards for Christmas spending – 55% of those on incomes over $1,600pw said they would put at least half on credit cards compared to only 20% of those on incomes under $600pw.

Q. Compared to 12 months ago, are you spending more or less on the following –

Total spending more

Total spending less

Spending a lot more

Spending a little more

Spending about the same

Spending a little less

Spending a lot less

Don’t know

Food and groceries

60%

10%

20%

40%

30%

7%

3%

1%

Gas and electricity

70%

9%

36%

34%

20%

5%

4%

1%

Telephone and internet services

38%

11%

11%

27%

49%

9%

2%

1%

Entertainment such as cinemas and restaurants

20%

39%

5%

15%

38%

20%

19%

3%

Retail products such as clothing and electrical goods

20%

38%

5%

15%

41%

22%

16%

1%

70% say they are spending more on gas and electricity and 60% say they are spending more on food and groceries. But they were more likely to be spending less on entertainment (20% more/39% less) and other retail products (20% more/38% less).

Perceptions of spending on food and groceries is similar across demographic groups. However, older respondents are more likely to say they are spending more on gas and electricity (80% of those aged 55+) and less on entertainment (46% of those aged 55+). For those aged under 35, 28% are spending more on entertainment and 34% less.

There is a similar pattern for spending on retail products – for those aged under 35, 27% are spending more and 32% less while for those aged 55+, 15% are spending more and 44% less.